The New Initiative
by EnsignAlex
Summary: Following a high success rate, the BAU has been selected to partake in a new initiative devised by the FBI, that transfers members of other teams in an exchange programme. How will the BAU deal with a sudden addition to the team? How will the new addition fit in with everyone? There's only one way to find out, she's already on her way. [Spencer/OC]
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello, welcome to my first ever story :) If you see something you don't like, don't hesitate to review and let me know so I can work on it! This is a Criminal Minds story and will be a Spencer/OC. I will try and make this as realistic as I can, but as we've never seen Spencer in a real, serious relationship before he may be a little OOC at times.

I will try and update as often as I can. Not sure if this will be one story or the first in a series, we'll have to wait and see!

Just a quick explanation that my OC will be English, same as me, so I don't have to spend ages researching American things for her backstory! Hope you don't think that's too lazy.. :)

Thank you for reading

* * *

Up in the BAU offices of the FBI headquarters, Quantico, a sense of calm radiated from the bullpen. Being the department with the highest success rate in the FBI, the offices were usually teaming with a level of tension- however three days off for the renowned team of Agents had come as a blessing.

Unit Chief SSA Aaron Hotchner sat in his raised office, looking down on the desks bellow as his team members began to arrive. First, as always, was youngest member Dr. Spencer Reid who again, as always, headed straight for the coffee pot for his caffeine fix. Hotch cracked a small smile at the predictability.

* * *

Seeing the arrival of both Morgan and Prentiss, he turned back to his paperwork to review what the team would be up to in the next few days.

Derek Morgan exited the lift with Emily Prentiss following sharply at his heel; he'd been trying to escape her teasing over a rejection from an attractive bartender during a team night out ever since he ran into her in the lobby. Upon spying boy-wonder making coffee he saw his way out.

"Reid, my man!" he called as he strode over, "How was the long weekend? Meet any honeys, learn a new language, scare any kids?"

Reid gave a disapproving frown at Morgan's humour, adding a warning look over to Prentiss as she chuckled at the last question. "No, no and no" He replied, "And the 'Reid effect' isn't my fault!"

Laughter followed him as he stalked, coffee in hand, back to his desk. After working at the BAU for a number of years he had learned that they didn't mean the teasing in a negative way, it was their way of showing that they cared- often by treating him as one would their younger sibling. He had even come to enjoy these multiple daily occurrences, made him feel like part of a family.

Ducking his head to hide the small smile at his thoughts, he settled into his chair ready to get started on some paperwork.

"But seriously," Began Prentiss as she too settled in at her desk, "How was your time off? 'Cause let me tell you, those three days were an absolute god-send for me"

Reid looked up and over to where she was sat, seeing she did indeed look well rested.

"It was fine, I wrote to my Mom, checked out a new bookshop that's just opened up a few miles from here, I also read a new research paper by a Harvard Professor about current Stem Cell research and the possibilities of Cellular Reprogramming"

"Sounds like fun" Snorted Morgan, only half serious as he knew Reid genuinely did find this stuff fun.

"Actually it was very informative" Reid nodded, "Most people with a basic knowledge of how the human body works know that Stem Cells are where all specialized cells, body parts and organs derive from, but this paper proposes that soon scientists will have the capability and the criteria to assess whether a Stem Cell is essentially 'bad' or 'good' so they can be used for research for drug-making or for administering to patients in drug testing, eliminating the likelihood of using a 'bad' cell in these processes and increasing the efficiency of the testing of cellular diseases by using…"

Trailing off, Reid looked up to see his two teammates staring at him with their eyes slightly glazed-over. "Sorry" He muttered with a sheepish grin.

"No worries, Kid" Morgan laughed "Actually kinda miss your rambling when I'm not here" Morgan smiled as he leaned back into his chair.

Reid just smirked, knowing he never wanted to leave these people.

* * *

Meanwhile, Aaron Hotchner spoke in a serious tone into his office phone.

"Yes, I understand. We'll have everything ready on this end; I just need to inform the team. Thank you, yes, Goodbye." Putting down the phone he heard the recognizable knock on his door.

"Come in" He called.

Agent Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau opened the door "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes JJ, sit down" He offered. "I wanted to talk to you about the team, and the future"

Seeing JJ look slightly confused, with concern growing, he elaborated: "I was contacted a few weeks ago by my superiors with an interesting proposition, they stated that our team is one of the best in the world and we could improve further by having connections with other, similar teams and agencies around the world. They proposed that our team bring in someone from such a team, a transfer, so that we can create these links that they want."

"Wait, so like an intern...?" JJ questioned, seeing the merits of such an idea but also naturally cautious of an addition to the team.

"Not as such, in the way that they will be an experienced member of another team and will have equal duties and responsibilities as any other team member. I am told that by working alongside each other in this way we can all help each other improve and become better profilers" Hotch explained, in much the same way it was explained to him.

JJ nodded her head, understanding now. "Do you have any idea who it's going to be?" She questioned.

"There was a selection process for all the potential candidates a few weeks ago and I was sent the committee's final selection this morning" He said, handing over a file to JJ. "I was assured she was the best suited for the team and the best candidate for this initiative all-round."

"Well I certainly hope so" Remarked JJ as she opened the file, wanting to see exactly who her new teammate was.


	2. Chapter 2

Penelope Garcia spun in her tech-cave, smiling as she took in all the cheery photographs on the walls and surfaces, just what the dreary room needed.

Absorbed in this, she almost didn't notice JJ enter.

"Moring!" she grinned happily at her friend, "What can my royal highness do for you today?"

"Hey Garcia" JJ greeted the colorful woman with a smile, "Could you run a name for me please? Its nothing bad, or anything" She reassured "Just curiosity really"

Garcia took the file from JJ and typed in the name to her all-seeing database "No problem, I shall work my marvelous magic and let you know what I find ASAP!"

"Thanks Garcia, no rush just let me know when you can" JJ smiled and turned to leave, before stopping and looking at Garcia again, "Also, you don't need to tell the team about this just yet, ok?"

"My lips are sealed!" Garcia turned back to her screens, interest peaked slightly as JJ definitely seemed to be more than just 'curious'

'Hmmm' She thought, 'Let's see who you are, shall we?'

* * *

Chief Erin Strauss walked up the stairs to Hotch's office, receiving a few looks as she did so.

"Wonder what all that's about?" Morgan questioned, speaking mainly to himself.

Prentiss looked up at him from her desk "What's so weird about Strauss talking to Hotch?" She wondered.

"Nothing usually," Morgan looked over at her "But did you see her face? She had that really serious look, the one she gets when something's about to happen"

"You're being paranoid" Came a muffled mumble from Reid's desk, the man too buried in paperwork to actually be seen.

"Yeah, maybe…" Sighed Morgan, looking over to Hotch's office once more just in time to see the blinds close.

* * *

Hotch shared a quick look with SSA David Rossi as Chief Strauss paced the length of his office.

"I don't want any problems," She told them, "It is imperative that nothing reflects badly on the Bureau in any way, this must go as smoothly as possible"

"We understand, Erin" Rossi placated "The team are all mature enough to understand why this is happening and the consequences if it somehow all goes wrong"

Pausing in her pacing and casting an eye over them, she raised a dubious eyebrow "They had better be" She remarked, "I'll be keeping a close watch on the proceedings, and I want a report at the end of each week" She said, focusing on Hotch.

With that, she left and closed the door behind her.

Rossi stared at the doorway "Why do I get the feeling our lives just got a little bit more complicated?"

Hotch just sighed in agreement.

* * *

JJ sat in her office, eyes scanning over the same file they had been all morning, taking in the description and the comments from FBI committee members. She leaned back in her chair, agreeing with the idea of sharing skills and making connections with others, but unable to completely quash the small anxiety she felt about introducing someone new, particularly the team's reaction.

A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in" She called, seeing Rossi through the glass windows.

"Do you want to sit down Rossi?" She asked the elder Agent.

"No, thank you, just coming by to tell you they've given us a date."

JJ focused all of her attention onto him, "When?"

"Next Monday"

"Is that it?" She questioned with a furrowed brow, "That's not a lot of time, are they sure we're ready?"

"Already been sorted apparently," Rossi answered, "They've been setting this up for a while, and they're now giving us until then to tell the others."

JJ rolled her eyes "Oh how thoughtful of 'them'" She muttered somewhat sarcastically.

Rossi smirked at her, understanding her meaning, "Yes, I'd like to know exactly who was on this committee, too" With that, he left and closed the door.

JJ, alone once more, rubbed her temples and picked up the file again.

* * *

Much to JJ's dismay, no sooner had she started planning exactly how to tell the team, they were called away for a high-pressure child kidnapping case in Denver, Colorado. With tensions running so high in the case the pressing news was pushed to the back of her mind, each passing day bringing the deadline closer.


	3. Chapter 3

A:N/ To XFDraconus, thank you for the correction! As a longtime CM fan I'm a little embarrassed at getting that wrong! Chapter updated now :)

* * *

Trudging back into the office at a not-so unusual time of 3.00 AM- the BAU team headed to their respective desks to collect some personal items each feeling more than ready to go home. Before they could however, they were stopped by Hotch's voice.

"Guys I know we've had a busy few days and you want to go home but could you come to the conference room for a few moments please" He said to the team with his usual stoic expression.

Glancing at each other, they made their way up the steps wondering what was going on, curiosity increasing when they saw Garcia already there, waiting for them.

"Take a seat, this won't be too long"

After everyone was seated Hotch began to speak again, "There is something that you need to be told, that myself, Agents Rossi and Jareau were informed of earlier this week."

Confused, the four remaining team members glanced at each of them, wondering what it was that they all knew.

Spencer, in particular, was worried. He knew that most people didn't like him; his experience in High School was enough to establish that fact firmly within his mind. Honestly, he had thought he would never really find any where to fit in, that he would gain recognition and respect for his academic achievements yes, but true friendship? It was not until he joined the BAU at his former mentor's insistence that he found a place to belong. Though Hotch usually looked like a serious man, Spencer through all his years profiling could detect micro-expressions in the man's face that told him what he was about to be told was big news, indeed. He could only hope the team was not about to be split up as it had been in the past.

"I was contacted by my superiors regarding a new 'initiative' that they feel would improve the Bureau, and after looking at our high success rates, they determined that it is the BAU that they want to try this initiative first. The Bureau feels that they can improve by creating communication links and contacts with other teams around the world. A few weeks ago, a specialized committee gathered to discuss how this would be done, and they determined that we engage in a quasi-exchange program."

"You mean someone gets sent here and one of us gets sent there?" Prentiss asked.

"They have no plans to send anyone on this team anywhere, at least not yet, but yes- someone from another team is being sent here to work with us."

"What? Hotch this doesn't sound too good, we're way to busy with cases all the time to be training' up some cop and looking after them" Morgan remarked, knowing that though he had great respect for cops, being ex-Chicago PD himself, they couldn't spare the time.

Hotch looked over at Morgan "This person is an experienced member of their own team, and works in a similar way that we do, the point of this is to improve upon what we already do, not completely change. After reading their file myself, I did agree with the committee that they were the best person for the job."

Spencer, who had been considering what a new addition would mean for the team, though happy they would not be split-up, noticed something in Hotch's wording, "You said 'other teams around the world'" He recalled, "Does this mean they aren't American?"

Garcia perked up at that, thinking she knew something about this, but could not remember where from.

"No," Hotch nodded, not at all surprised the youngest member of the team had picked that up, "She is not."

"She?" Morgan, Prentiss and Reid all questioned, the same time as Garcia snapped her fingers, finally putting it together and jumping up.

"So that's who you wanted me to run a search on!" She cried, pointing at JJ, "I know who it is!"

Hotch looked over at JJ, raising an eyebrow as she smiled back somewhat sheepishly at him, "I couldn't resist…?" She said, sounding like a question.

Wanting to get back to the point, Hotch re-gained control of the room. "She is English, and she's coming to us from Scotland Yard"

"Ooh! Emily! You've been to London, you might know her!"

"Garcia, London's a pretty big place" Emily laughed.

"So a British chick" Morgan mused, "When's she gonna be here?"

"Monday" Hotch replied.

"Hotch its Thursday already! Isn't that a little short notice?"

Rossi smirked, so far enjoying his silent observer position, but spoke up, "Actually we've known for definite since Tuesday"

Spencer looked to JJ, confused as to why she didn't say anything to him, they had always been good friends but since becoming Henry's Godfather there wasn't anything she didn't tell him.

JJ, catching his look, gave him an apologetic glance and reminded him about the busy case they had just got back from. Spencer, pacified, leaned back in his chair to continue listening to Hotch.

"Yes, well we're aware it's short notice for you, but you have tomorrow and the weekend to get used to the idea. Strauss is going to be keeping a close eye on all of us as of next week, and it's important that this goes well, so I don't want this to cause any problems."

"Yeah we get it" Prentiss muttered, not looking forward to having Strauss breathe down her neck.

"Okay, I think that about covers it, it's late and you want to go home. You'll have more questions, but they can wait for tomorrow. Go home and rest." Hotch gave them their cue to leave.

Soon, as the BAU team all headed home, each of them wondered just what kind of person the newest addition would be.


End file.
